ThinkPad 701

IBM ThinkPad 701

Company type	Product model
Industry	Computer hardware
Founded	1993
Defunct	1995-12-21
Headquarters	Research Triangle Park, North Carolina and Yamato, Kanagawa , United States and Japan
Products	Subnotebook computers (ThinkPad series)

The IBM ThinkPad 701 is a compact subnotebook within IBM's ThinkPad series, famously nicknamed the Butterfly because of its groundbreaking sliding keyboard engineered by John Karidis. Its development began in 1993, and it was available on the market from March through December 1995, with prices ranging between and . This model became the top-selling laptop in 1995 and received 27 awards recognizing its design excellence.

Equipped with Intel i486 processors (either DX2 or DX4) alongside the Chips and Technologies CT-65545 graphics chipset, the 701 came with two display options: a DSTN screen for the 701Cs and a TFT LCD for the 701C. It was preloaded with Windows 3.11, while versions featuring the DX4 processor included a dual-boot setup with OS/2 Warp 3.0.

The discontinuation of the ThinkPad 701 occurred as advancements in screen sizes rendered its distinctive keyboard mechanism unnecessary, signaling a change in design focus within portable computing.

Development

The ThinkPad 701 was developed through a partnership between IBM’s manufacturing division at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and the engineering team based in Yamato, Kanagawa, Japan. The keyboard idea first emerged in spring 1993 as a photocopied sketch, followed by a plexiglass prototype created during summer. Funding approval came in fall 1993 with an intended launch set for one year later. However, delays led to the release featuring an Intel 486 processor instead of the initially planned Pentium. The keyboard innovation was driven by John Karidis, Sam Lucente, and Robert Tennant, while Richard Sapper oversaw the overall ThinkPad design. Other key contributors included Lawrence Stone, Michael King, Martin Tucker, and Gerard McVicker.

Internally named "butterfly," IBM engineers suggested this as the official product title; however, legal restrictions prevented using names associated with living creatures. Positioned in the subnotebook category alongside models like the IBM ThinkPad 500, IBM opted against reusing that designation due to its previous poor market performance. Since the reserved 600 series was not available, IBM assigned this model to the 700 series—typically reserved for premium offerings.

PCMag noted that Sharp Corporation supplied LCD panels for the 700 series units, marking a departure from earlier reliance on Display Technologies, Inc.

IBM invested in advertising campaigns within leading newspapers that initially displayed only a butterfly image; subsequently, they incorporated both the IBM logo and butterfly icon accompanied by the phrase "Watch for the announcement." Despite concerns over trademark conflicts related to using "butterfly," stemming from another company’s claim, IBM clarified it would not employ this term as an official brand name to avoid legal complications.

At launch, IBM faced challenges fulfilling demand for the 701 model. Its unique design's popularity inspired production of model kits as collectible memorabilia.

Specifications

The subnotebook lineup was equipped with Intel DX2 or DX4 processors and offered display options including dual-scan LCD or TFT active matrix screens, alongside a range of hard drive capacities. While all variants utilized identical graphics processors and came with the same preloaded software, the DX4 models featured a dual-boot setup incorporating IBM OS/2. Expansion capabilities were provided through an AT bus compatible Dock II docking station.

Pre-installed applications comprised Lotus cc:Mail, IBM Lotus Organizer, ScreenCam, PRODIGY, AOL for DOS, Video for Windows 1.1 Runtime, and Audiofile TalkWorks. The operating systems included IBM DOS 6.3 and Windows 3.11, with the DX4 editions additionally offering OS/2 Warp 3.0 in a dual-boot configuration accompanied by a BonusPack. The graphics processing unit was the Chips and Technologies CT-65545 with 1MB DRAM on a VL-Bus 2.0 interface, supporting external SVGA monitors at resolutions up to 1024x768 pixels with 256 colors at a refresh rate of 70 Hz.

Specifications

	701Cs					701C
Display	VGA color 640x480, DSTN, 10.4", 65k colors, 20:1 contrast					VGA color, 640x480, TFT LCD, 65k colors, 100:1 contrast
CPU	Intel DX2 50/25 MHz		Intel DX4 75/25 MHz			Intel DX2 50/25 MHz		Intel DX4 75/25 MHz
HDD	360 MB	540 MB	360 MB	540 MB	720 MB	360 MB	540 MB	360 MB	540 MB	720 MB
Retail price	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$	Template:US$

Keyboard

The keyboard used in the ThinkPad 701, referred to as the TrackWrite or butterfly keyboard, allowed the device to maintain a compact form when shut while providing a comfortable typing experience when open. Despite the laptop’s display measuring 24.6 cm (9.7 in) wide and a VGA LCD size of 26.4 cm (10.4 in), the keyboard is ingeniously split into two triangular halves that slide apart as the lid is lifted: initially both sections move outward, followed by one sliding downward to create a full-sized keyboard width of 29.2 cm (11.5 in) that extends beyond the laptop’s base. This synchronized mechanism is actuated by a cam integrated into the hinge of the lid.

Reception

In a review from InfoWorld in 1995, the ThinkPad was commended for its full-sized keyboard, sizable display, and multimedia capabilities; however, it faced criticism due to its unconventional input/output ports. The ThinkPad 701 garnered a total of twenty-seven design accolades, such as the CES "Good Design Award" and InfoWorld’s "1995 Product of the Year" within the subnotebook category. In a retrospective piece published in Domus in 2019, its lasting innovation was highlighted: "Even today, this portable PC amazes anyone who sees it open and close." The model ranked as the best-selling laptop of the year in 1995. Technology columnist Walt Mossberg described it as the most distinctive and ingenious laptop he had reviewed. More than two decades later, it continues to be highly regarded by collectors.

John Karidis attributed the success of the ThinkPad 700 series to its combination of a large screen and full-sized keyboard, contrasting with competitors who sacrificed keyboard size to reduce overall dimensions. He emphasized that keyboard width was typically the primary limitation on laptop size since screen and keyboard surface areas are roughly equivalent but differ in aspect ratio.

The ThinkPad 701 holds a place in prestigious design collections including New York’s Museum of Modern Art, Munich’s Die Neue Sammlung, and the Computer History Museum. It also made brief appearances in films such as the James Bond movie GoldenEye (1995), as well as Blood Diamond and Mission: Impossible.

Discontinuation and Subsequent Developments

IBM announced the termination of the 701 model in November 1995, with production ceasing on December 21 of that year. This move was influenced by the industry's transition toward laptops equipped with larger displays, which accommodated full-sized keyboards without requiring folding designs, as well as competitors integrating Pentium processors into their offerings. Despite its innovative concept and positive reception, the 701 series did not maintain a strong competitive position. Soon after its discontinuation, IBM introduced the ThinkPad 760, which incorporated the original Intel Pentium CPU.

To commemorate ThinkPad's tenth anniversary in 2002, IBM Japan created a scaled-down model kit of the 701 at 65% size, distributing it during corporate events and alongside PC purchases. The following year, ZDNet reported that the IBM Design Center was exploring butterfly keyboard designs; however, David Hill indicated that efforts to resurrect this keyboard style were unsuccessful. In 2021, Lenovo submitted a patent application for a keyboard mechanism reminiscent of the folding design used in the 701.

In 2014, Hackaday disclosed that the original Intel DX4 processor in the 701 could be removed and upgraded to a faster Am5x86. More recently, in 2023, hacker Karl Buchka integrated a Framework Laptop motherboard into a 701 chassis, utilizing QMK firmware on a Teensy microcontroller to manage the keyboard functions.

See also

• Ergonomic keyboard
• List of computer size categories
• List of IBM products